'I felt dirty': Victims of Calgary teacher who preyed on underage girls share their pain

Young victims of a sexual predator in Calgary shared the impacts of his crimes in court on Tuesday.

Christian Sarile earlier pleaded guilty to 17 charges involving child victims over an eight-year period. He would target girls as young as 12 and pay them for sexual acts and pictures.

He pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault, paying minors for sexual services, sexual extortion, luring and making child pornography.

In several cases, Sarile targeted girls who were particularly vulnerable one teen was drunk, another told Sarile she was cutting herself. He even targeted children who attended the schools where he worked.

At the time of his arrest in 2017, Sarile was a Grade 6 teacher and was also teaching music.

'I was so confused'

On Tuesday, his victims or their parents read statements detailing loss of sleep, loss of innocence, loss of self and more.

One girl said she thought she was to blame for what Sarile did to her and that she fell into depression that prevented her from getting up for school in the morning.

• Calgary teacher who preyed on dozens of underage girls pleads guilty to 17 sex offences

"I felt dirty because of the sexual things that I was manipulated into doing," she said.

She said she has struggled for three years with the repercussions of what Sarile did, but said she would fight for the rest of her life and "continue to be a survivor."

Another said Sarile robbed her of her innocence and threw her into a world she was not prepared for.

"I was so confused about what was happening to me because I did not understand, at that age, we are so young," she said.

Impact on family

A mother who read a statement to the court talked about how her daughter fell apart in the wake of Sarile's abuse, struggling at school, dropping out of sports and eventually developing a drug habit.

Her daughter disappears for weeks or months at a time now.

"We're all just holding on and hoping she'll return to us someday," said the mother.

Other mothers spoke of the devastating impact on their children'smental health.

The victim impact statements are part of the ongoing sentencing hearing, which will continue on Thursday.